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Classic Camera Repair » Maintenance & Repair » Canon F-1n (n - not N!) - mirror and shutter problems « Previous Next »

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Overexposed
Tinkerer
Username: Overexposed

Post Number: 1
Registered: 05-2013

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Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2013 - 02:16 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Hi, I hope to get some advise on whether I have a problem - or maybe not.

I have an old Canon F-1n (NOT F-1N with the AE finder!) which was in my closet the last 20 years. I had the fungi already removed from the 50mm 1.4 FD lens and now I wanted to do some film photography again.

My queries:

Mirror - when I take a shot the mirror stays in the UP position and comes only down when I move the film lever about 30º (I don't need to wind the film forward complete). I am not sure this is normal or not. Not a big issue though.

Shutter - of course I can measure the shutter times. I noticed that 1/15 has a noticeable time where the shutter stays open. But 1/8 seems much shorter, same for 1/4. With 1/2 and 1 the shutter simply stays open till I shift the lever ~30º. This is certainly not normal. B works normal again.

Is that a known problem?
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Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn

Post Number: 1078
Registered: 07-2006

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Posted on Saturday, May 11, 2013 - 10:16 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

I do not expect that this camera was ever serviced prior to being abandoned in the closet for 20 years! Your camera is exhibiting a very well known problem - lack of maintenance and regular use - a proper service will sort it out. Very regular use over the last 20 years would have kept the mechanism free and allowed the appearance of functioning normally; however, in actual fact the shutter speeds would have been way off and the mechanism would have sounded rather 'rough'.
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Overexposed
Tinkerer
Username: Overexposed

Post Number: 7
Registered: 05-2013

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Posted on Saturday, May 18, 2013 - 02:49 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Took me some time experimenting. Just got a BPW34 photodiode, not the fastest with 100ns reaction time, but sufficient.

Here is a screenshot from the 1/60 measurement. 20ms is about accurate. 1/15 and faster seems accurate. I will try it on a film.

Also found a repair manual for the F-1. Some greasing should do I think.

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Overexposed
Tinkerer
Username: Overexposed

Post Number: 8
Registered: 05-2013

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Posted on Saturday, May 18, 2013 - 03:22 am:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

Looks like I have the 'grey grease' problem.

http://www.chofu-camera.com/modules/d3blog/details.php?bid=167

What lubricant is suggested in cameras?
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Overexposed
Tinkerer
Username: Overexposed

Post Number: 10
Registered: 05-2013

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Votes: 0 (Vote!)

Posted on Saturday, June 08, 2013 - 07:52 pm:   Edit Post Delete Post View Post/Check IP Print Post    Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only) Ban Poster IP (Moderator/Admin only)

After a quick look inside the F-1 I decided to give it to an expert to do the greasing job.

$50 later everything seems to work perfectly. The sound of the camera is totally different too.

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